The present embodiments relate to medical catheters. In particular, accurate positioning of a catheter inside a body using electrodes is provided.
Catheters are used for several types of medical procedures. For example, catheters are used to measure electrical activity, capture image data, and/or apply stents within a body. Additionally, catheters are used for ablation therapy, especially for the treatment of heart disease. The positioning of such catheters during treatment or measurement procedures is of great interest to medical professionals due to the limited area to navigate within or due to navigation near sensitive internal organs.
A variety of medical imaging systems are used to assist medical professionals with maneuvering and positioning catheters within a body. For example, ultrasound, computed tomography (“CT”), and X-ray systems are used to generate images of the catheter within the body during treatment or measurement procedures. However, minimizing the use of imaging systems during the catheter procedures may be desired to reduce cost as well as minimize exposure, such a X-rays, to the patient.
Catheter positioning systems may not utilize external medical imaging systems during the entire treatment or measurement procedures. Specialized catheters having coils or transducers or systems utilizing patches positioned along three mutually orthogonal axes on a body surface have been proposed. However, the use of such systems may increase cost as well as complexity.